- His father, Eugenio Fabrizi, was a barber. His mother, Enrichetta Lippini, was a cashier at the Astra cinema.
- Played the leading role in Gian Luigi Polidoro's Satyricon (1969), a rival project to the coeval Fellini - Satyricon (1969). People argued the decision was determined by his disappointment for not having been called back by Federico Fellini for a long time.
- He briefly worked as a fashion model in Milan before starting to work in cabaret as one of Vanda Osiris's male partners. He was also employed as an actor for photo story books during that period.
- Fluent in French. He acted in several French features.
- Passions included women, good cooking, watching sports and collecting fashion cars.
- After being diagnosed with cancer, he returned to his native Cortemaggiore to spend his last years of life. Over that period, he was able to reconnect with some of his relatives he had never had the occasion to really know.
- Was good friends with Vittorio De Sica.
- Despite launching his film career with I vitelloni (1953) and subsequently casting him in several of his movies, director Federico Fellini had the habit of having Fabrizi dubbed by other actors in most of their collaborations, as he used to do with the majority of his players. Franco reacted badly at Fellini's announcement that he would have him dubbed by actor Alberto Lionello in their final film together, Ginger e Fred (1986), but the director answered that he would've eventually been happy with the decision and his acting reputation would've further increased after the movie's release. Fabrizi won and was nominated for several awards for his performance.
- Pietro Germi, writer of the screenplay for Amici miei (1975), originally wanted his frequent collaborator Fabrizi to play the leading role of Lello Mascetti in the film, which he was meant to direct. After Germi's death, the script was eventually helmed by Mario Monicelli, who actually cast Ugo Tognazzi in the role.
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